Amit Shah targeted Justice Reddy to hide Centre's incompetence in ending naxalism: CM Stalin

Chennai, Aug 24 (PTI) Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin on Sunday hit out at Union Home Minister Amit Shah for targeting Opposition vice presidential candidate, Justice B Sudershan Reddy over Naxalism.

The Centre could not end Naxal-based extremism and in order to hide its incompetence, Justice Reddy was labelled a "Naxal" by Shah, the chief minister alleged.

Addressing a meeting of leaders of INDIA bloc, its MPs from Tamil Nadu in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha to support justice Reddy, the chief minister said Justice Reddy was fully qualified and deserved to be the vice president and that was why he was nominated by the INDIA bloc as its candidate.

Justice Reddy was in Chennai on Sunday to seek support from DMK and its friendly parties in the state.

Stalin said that not only the INDIA bloc constituents, but all those who had faith in democracy accepted only Reddy as the vice presidential candidate.

Outlining the legal and judicial career of the retired judge, Stalin said Reddy dedicated his life to law and justice and upheld the dignity of the Constitution.

"Why is he needed today? the chief minister asked and he answered that question by saying that he is needed to protect the Constitution when the BJP was trying to "damage" it.

Justice Reddy respected Tamil Nadu's sentiments and his opposition to NEP is a case in point and he stands for pluralism, Constitution, Tamil Nadu and the people and thus, no bigger reason than this is needed to support him.

"However, how does the union home minister criticises the former judge of the Supreme Court? He accuses him as a Naxal. A home minister, forgetting his responsibility, has made an unjust remark against a former judge." The BJP regime could not end extremism and in order to hide their incompetence, they are trying to blame the ex-judge.

"What is the union government led by the BJP is now doing? It is deploying investigative agencies to target political opponents.

"It is changing independent organisations into subsidary outfits of the BJP. The Constitution itself is in danger. Under the circumstances, today we have got a person who has faith in the principles of secularism, federalism, social justice and unity in diversity. The duty in front of us is to support him." Further, he said: "However, after doing all that was against Tamil Nadu and its people, the BJP, by using the mask of Tamilian, is now seeking support for CP Radhakrishnan, the NDA nominee, for the office of vice president. This is a very old trick. Rather than individuals, it is the ideologies that guides politics." Only the ideology that serves the interests of the people and their welfare should be supported.

Hence, Justice Reddy, in order to protect democracy, the Parliamentary conventions and the Constitution should become the vice president, the chief minister extended his wishes to the ex-judge.

On August 23, Sudershan Reddy said it was not a contest between two individuals but two ideologies, asserting that while his opponent is a quintessential RSS man, he is "far, far away" from it.

"I am essentially a liberal constitutional democrat. This is the area, or rather the arena, for the contest where the fight goes on," he told PTI in an interview. PTI VGN VGN KH